LEGAL NEWS

Parliament Passes Bills of Lading Bill, 2025

• The Bills of Lading Bill, 2025 replaces the outdated Indian Bill of Lading Act of 1856, bringing modern reforms to shipping documentation.

• It was passed in the Rajya Sabha by voice vote, following a walkout by the Opposition.

• The law aims to streamline maritime trade by updating the rules around bills of lading used in shipping.

• A bill of lading serves as proof of goods being shipped, detailing type, quantity, condition, and destination.

• The new law allows legal rights and liabilities to be transferred to consignees or endorsees, enabling smoother trade transactions.

• It permits issuing a bill even before the goods are shipped, easing trade but raising concerns over potential misuse.

• MPs highlighted risks of fraud and urged for strong legal safeguards and accountability mechanisms.

• The bill excludes electronic bills, with a separate law on e-bills expected in the near future.

• It supports the Sagarmala programme, aiming to modernise India’s ports and improve cargo handling.

Five New Members Take Oath in Rajya Sabha

• Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar administered the oath to five newly inducted members.

• The swearing-in ceremony was held in the Upper House of Parliament.

• Two members from Assam took oath—Birendra Prasad Baishya (AGP) and Kanad Purkayastha (BJP).

• Three individuals were nominated to the Rajya Sabha: Dr. Meenakshi Jain, C. Sadanandan Master, and Harsh Vardhan Shringla.

• The session also included tributes to seven former Rajya Sabha members who had recently passed away.

• The Rajya Sabha follows a six-year term structure for its members.

• One-third of the members retire every two years, ensuring continuity and experience.

• It is the Chairman’s responsibility to administer the oath to incoming members.

• The Vice President of India serves as the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

• These developments reflect both political inclusivity and institutional continuity in the functioning of the Upper House.

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar Resigns: Key Highlights

• Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar stepped down from his post due to health concerns; President Droupadi Murmu has accepted his resignation.

• Dhankhar took office as the Vice President in 2022 and earlier served as West Bengal's Governor from 2019 to 2022.

• He becomes the third Vice President in India’s history to resign before completing the full five-year term, following V. V. Giri (1969) and Bhairon Singh Shekhawat (2007).

• Following his resignation, the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha will take charge as acting Chairperson until a new Vice President is elected.

• Unlike term completion, resignation does not impose a 60-day deadline for conducting the Vice Presidential election.

• The Vice President is India's second-highest constitutional authority and also serves as the ex-officio Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.

• The Vice President is chosen through a proportional representation system by members of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha using a single transferable vote.

• To be eligible, a candidate must be an Indian citizen aged 35 or above, qualified to be a Rajya Sabha member, and must not hold any office of profit.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Chandrayaan-2 Completes Six Years: Mission Highlights

• July 22, 2025, marks six years since ISRO launched the Chandrayaan-2 mission from Sriharikota's Satish Dhawan Space Centre.

• The mission aimed to study the Moon’s surface, focusing on its seismic activity, mineral makeup, and overall composition.

• Special attention was given to exploring the lunar south pole, an area with high scientific interest.

• Chandrayaan-2 carried an orbiter, a lander (Vikram), and a rover (Pragyan) as part of its payload.

• While Vikram crash-landed on September 6, 2019, due to a software issue, the orbiter remains operational.

• The orbiter houses eight instruments and continues to gather data on minerals and water ice in polar regions.

• The scientific data collected has been made public, supporting global research and analysis.

• Despite setbacks, the mission highlights ISRO’s growing capabilities and strengthens momentum for future lunar missions.

ISRO-NASA Joint Mission: NISAR Satellite Set for Launch

• ISRO will launch the Earth observation satellite NISAR on 31st July 2025, in collaboration with NASA.

• The satellite will be deployed into a 743 km Sun-synchronous orbit using the GSLV F16 heavy-lift rocket.

• NISAR will deliver high-resolution data globally every 12 days, unaffected by weather or lighting conditions.

• It is the first Earth satellite equipped with dual-frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) technology.

• The mission combines NASA’s L-band radar and ISRO’s S-band radar on a 12-meter deployable mesh reflector antenna.

• The L-band can penetrate forests and vegetation, while the S-band captures detailed surface images.

• It will be the first to use SweepSAR for broad, precise Earth monitoring.

• The satellite will track surface changes, vegetation patterns, storm activity, soil moisture, sea ice, and help forecast natural disasters.

STATE NEWS

Bihar Sets New Standard in Polling Station Management

• Bihar becomes the first Indian state to limit every polling station to a maximum of 1,200 voters.

• This initiative aims to reduce voter crowding and ensure a smoother polling experience.

• To implement this, the state has added 12,817 new polling stations, enhancing accessibility.

• The total number of polling stations has risen from 77,895 to 90,712.

• Previously, a single station handled up to 1,500 voters, which has now been reduced to 1,200.

• The move is part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls.

• So far, officials have gathered data from over 7.16 crore enumeration forms during the revision.

• Starting next month, citizens can submit objections or request changes to the Draft Electoral Rolls regarding errors or updates.